Panic attacks

[Rusty Shackleford]

Anyone ever get panic attacks? How do you deal? How long until they go away?

For whatever reason, I got one last night. Felt like I was having a heart attack. Went to the ER, the whole nine. Was given a rx for some anti-anxiety medicine. Haven't had a chance to get that rx filled yet, and I'm still not feeling good today - feel like there's not enough oxygen in the air and I keep taking deep breaths.

I think I know what may have triggered it - I had a very scary (as in, feared for my life) experience dealing with a crowd recently. Never was claustrophobic before, but that definitely freaked me out something fierce. But it was a week ago, and it's gone and I'll never have to face that again, so I have no idea why that would be triggering this.

 

[shockey]

Anyone ever get panic attacks? How do you deal? How long until they go away?

first of all, so sorry this has hit you but so very proud of you to share.

secondly, i went through my 'panic/anxiety attack' stretch in '98. both my wife and even my boss encouraged me to share with my doc. my boss was very, very, VERY cool and supportive. he'd noticed an obvious change in my demeanor and finally said, 'listen we ll just want the real shockey back.'

so, i shared with my neurologist. turns out anxiety/panic are common symptoms of m.s. and he prescribed paxil. within three weeks, the know residing in the pit of my stomach was gone. my panic on deadline -- which i'd NEVER experienced -- was gone. and i returned to being the guy who could never relate to colleagues who spoke of 'writer's block.'

now, be forewarned than i found the right medication at the right dosage to do the trick. many people need to try several before finding their 'paxil.'

my concern previously about such meds was that it would turn me into some sort of zombie or turn me into someone i'd never been before. but all it did was rid me of the bad that had suddenly taken over my mind and allowed me to simply return to who i had been the first 31 years of my life.

best of luck. with the right meds, you'll be your old self in no time.

 

[Bubbler]

Take it seriously, because you never know what might come of it.

I had those same issues that began about a year ago and they continue (to a much lesser extent) to the present. I was 39 last summer and the "blues" you get when you turn 40 hit me a year early. I was worried to the point of unhealthiness about things way beyond my control. Truthfully, I had spent most of my life as a worst-case scenario type of person, but last year, it really began to affect me physically.

The symptoms had got to the point where I went to the doctor. I was (rightly) diagnosed with anxiety issues. So I took some mild anti-anxiety medicine at my discretion, and for about a half-year, it seemed to calm things down.

Then, 'round about February, I began to have the same physical symptoms without me putting any self-inflicted anxiety upon myself. I cover college hoops, so February is pretty much where the travel grind and stress of the job is at its worst.

I went back to my doctor to talk about it and she sent me to a heart specialist with the idea of calming me down and putting my mind at ease that I didn't have a physical problem when I was experiencing my anxiety symptoms.

So I went. Did the whole nine yards. Stress test, echocardiogram, etc. I thought through most of the process that it was going to be a costly waste of my time and money, and frankly, I felt a little bit ashamed that my anxiety had got to the point where I felt the need to do this.

But at the same time, those symptoms -- chest pain, chronic light-headedness, occasional numbness in extremities, etc. -- continued and were definitely exacerbated by stress.

Turns out I did have a problem. My stress test revealed an 85 percent chance of a heart blockage. So I went in for a heart catheterization last month.

Fortunately, it revealed that I didn't have a blockage, but I did have a congenital heart valve problem. It's not life-threatening and its not serious so long as I monitor it, but it explained a lot of the physical issues I had been having, especially the chest pain and the light-headedness.

I tell this story for two reasons, because obviously, everyone's own story will turn out differently.

One, take it seriously and treat it. As illustrated, it led me down a path where I learned an important lesson about my own physical condition.

But even if you don't, it goes to point number two -- there is no shame in having anxiety issues. I think a LOT of men aged 30 and over have these issues and they are often treated by society as a whole as something to be embarrassed about.

Call it anxiety, mid-life crisis, whatever, at some point I think most men have this happen at some point in their lives, especially since there's no physical trigger for men to mark time in their lives. More men need to be open about it.

Treat it and you'll be fine. Like Shockey said, if you take medication, it might take a while to find your balance. I take a very mild medication and it suits me fine. Frankly, I don't even notice it, aside from the fact it eases my symptoms.

Hope that helps.

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

I had those same issues that began about a year ago and they continue (to a much lesser extent) to the present. I was 39 last summer and the "blues" you get when you turn 40 hit me a year early. I was worried to the point of unhealthiness about things way beyond my control. Truthfully, I had spent most of my life as a worst-case scenario type of person, but last year, it really began to affect me physically.

I have found these issues get pronounced when you begin nearing a youngish age at which a parent or sibling had deceased.

 

[Bubbler]

I had those same issues that began about a year ago and they continue (to a much lesser extent) to the present. I was 39 last summer and the "blues" you get when you turn 40 hit me a year early. I was worried to the point of unhealthiness about things way beyond my control. Truthfully, I had spent most of my life as a worst-case scenario type of person, but last year, it really began to affect me physically.

I have found these issues get pronounced when you begin nearing a youngish age at which a parent or sibling had deceased.

It can. My mom died when she was 34. I didn't feel it then, but at some point, you come to a crossroads. If you have kids, you worry like hell about their future, even if you have little control over the factors that will determine their future.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I had those same issues that began about a year ago and they continue (to a much lesser extent) to the present. I was 39 last summer and the "blues" you get when you turn 40 hit me a year early. I was worried to the point of unhealthiness about things way beyond my control. Truthfully, I had spent most of my life as a worst-case scenario type of person, but last year, it really began to affect me physically.

I have found these issues get pronounced when you begin nearing a youngish age at which a parent or sibling had deceased.

My brother-in-law had that issue. His dad died when he was 43, so when he turned 43, he went into full freak-out mode. Good things came out of it. His cholesterol was very high and now he's on medication for it.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

But at the same time, those symptoms -- chest pain, chronic light-headedness, occasional numbness in extremities, etc. -- continued and were definitely exacerbated by stress.

That's hitting a little too close to home for this stressed out soon-to-be 39-year-old.

 

[westcoastvol]

Bubbler nailed my sitch almost word-for-word, except I had a racing pulse, which led to a slightly-enlarged aortic valve. By taking a beta-blocker, my pulse is lowered and the valve is normal-sized. My only issue is when I work out, my target heart rate gets thrown out the window because of the beta-blockers.

I also take anti-anxiety meds, but it's all good now.

 

[HejiraHenry]

I've dealt with panic issues on and off since 1984. Worst mistake I made was not seeking help a lot sooner.

 

[YGBFKM]

But at the same time, those symptoms -- chest pain, chronic light-headedness, occasional numbness in extremities, etc. -- continued and were definitely exacerbated by stress.

That's hitting a little too close to home for this stressed out soon-to-be 39-year-old.

It's not as bad as it used to be, but I used to experience light-headedness all the time. And I always wonder where the arm numbness comes from. I'm 39 and about to have my first child.

 

[X-Hack]

I had panic attacks in late-2001 and early-2002 (racing pulse, breathlessness and lightheadedness, simultaneous chills, shakes and sweats). I'd always suffered from anxiety, but it really took off at that time (probably triggered by a combination of Sept. 11 and a crisis in my career direction). I got it under control with some therapy and hitting on the right medication.

Fortunately in the 10 years since (I'm now 41), I've had very few panic attacks. I'm still more anxious than your average guy and in times of extreme stress a neurological condition that causes an eye-blinking compulsion and other tics gets more intense, but thank God those panic attacks subsided.

Thanks for sharing your experience and starting this thread. It's nice not to feel like a freak.

 

[farmerjerome]

I've suffered with an extreme anxiety disorder since I was nine. I was having panic attacks on and off, then when I was 13 I missed an entire year of school because of it. Turned out the should've known right away. Both sides of the family have it bad, so I didn't stand a chance.

Every day that goes by is another step of recovery. My thing is that I couldn't leave the house or travel. Twenty-one years later, I still have to make sure that I leave the house enough on my vacations so I don't have problems returning to work. I've found the right combinations of meds where I'm functioning -- but the problem is still there. I'd like to think I'd be a lot farther along in my writing career if it wasn't for anxiety. My family and friend are shocked that I'm holding down a full-time job.

As for the original question, when you feel an attack coming on immedieatly get up and do something else. I work in retail, so I'll jump on a register or clear the fitting room a bit. If you're in the newsroom and it's not too close to deadline trying striking up a conversation with someone on the new side about their story for tomorrow's edition. Hell, tell the photog you have a question about their cutline or ask if they have some stuff that you can use for a feature down the road.
If you're home go for a drive around the block, just get yourself moving. If you're in a crowd, get out of it. Or say if you're in a mall, go into a store that look mildly interesting and ask the sales associate stupid questions about a product.
You'd be surprised at how fast these things subside once you have something else to focus your attention on.

 

[Rhody31]

I'm good for one a year.
Usually it comes at night as I'm lying in bed trying to sleep. Mind wanders and next thing you know, I'm hyperventilating and start bawling. It's a pretty ugly sight.
Last one was about my new car. I was nervous about such a big purchase, then a commercial came on TV advertising a lower price than what I paid. I started thinking about my payments, which led to me thinking I got screwed, then panicking about why I ****ed up so bad and next thing you know I can't control my breathing and I'm a mess.
Mrs. Rhody calmed me down a bit, got me an Adovan and I went to la-la land. Woke up the next morning, realized what I freaked out about and why I did, realized I wasn't getting screwed and life went on.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

I don't get what causes it. Or how to get rid of it. I still feel kinda short of breath when I try to relax. It's like, when I'm busy I'm perfectly fine. Driving, working, at the gym, watching TV... but when I lay in bed, or just sit in my chair at work and try to kick back for a minute I can feel my heart rate rise and it gets hard to breathe. And if I read up on heart attack stuff, I can nearly give myself one. This sucks. I just want to be able to relax without feeling like I'm about to suffocate or without feeling like my heart is about to punch a hole in my chest.

 

[HejiraHenry]

I don't get what causes it. Or how to get rid of it. I still feel kinda short of breath when I try to relax. It's like, when I'm busy I'm perfectly fine. Driving, working, at the gym, watching TV... but when I lay in bed, or just sit in my chair at work and try to kick back for a minute I can feel my heart rate rise and it gets hard to breathe. And if I read up on heart attack stuff, I can nearly give myself one. This sucks. I just want to be able to relax without feeling like I'm about to suffocate or without feeling like my heart is about to punch a hole in my chest.

It's body chemistry for most folks. There's a chemical switch that should regulate the whole adrenaline "fight or flight" thing, but sometimes that switch doesn't function correctly. In my episodes, I would tell others, "imagine you just turned the corner and saw a bear right in front of you. OK, that's how it is for me, only there's no bear."

 

[mrbigles01]

I got my first panic attacks when I was 12 years old. The doctors told my parents I would grow out of it, and it seemed that after about six months I did. Since then they have flared up at various times in my life with various consequences.

The worst episode was in my junior year of college, I had one that lasted for nearly a month and a half. It did not stop. I was hospitalized briefly and figured that any hope I had of working in a deadline driven business was over. As some people have said, it is often a body chemistry thing. To this day, nearly 20 years after my first one I still have no idea what triggers them, they just happen.

What I have found, it that with a combination of medications I can mostly mitigate their effects. I take Paxil on a daily basis and have since my junior year, I also have a bottle of Ativan for those times when it gets out of hand and I need a "emergency exit," as my doctor calls it.

I would strongly urge you to speak with you GP about your symptoms and get on some of the meds. It took me a while and a few different brands before I found one that worked well and didn't have any side effects, but through working with my doctor I have manged them quite well for years. The hardest part for me has been explaining it to people I interact with, especially bosses and family members. But with some patience you learn to deal with that as well.

I would also suggest that you read up on the conditions, "When Panic Attacks," by Dr. David Burns was a very educational and helpful read when I first started dealing with this stuff and it helped me feel more like I knew what I was dealing with.

Eventually it will likely go away as it does for most people, but if not you will learn to manage it. You need patience and a good friend or two to help you get through it.

Panic has been the biggest challenge in my life to this point, but you can get past it. I wish you the best of luck and would be happy to chat with you 1-on-1 about my experiences or offer advice if you are in need.

Good luck, stay patient and stay positive.

 

[shockey]

by the way, just wanted to post this oon behalf of EVERYONE: this thread is why i love this place, stupid disagreements over petty crap and all. for all of you to 'come clean' to show rusty he is NOT alone is fabulous. 8)

keep up the great work, y'all. keep up the great work.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

OK, here it goes. I wasn't going to share, but after some of the stories on here, I kind of feel compelled to...

After reading some of the above posts, I feel lucky, because I don't have it nearly as badly as some of you...

About 10 years ago, I was in a car accident, after I got out, i started getting very claustrophobic and had a fear of heights that I never had before. Hell, I've been skydiving...

Well, as luck would have it, one of the places where the claustrophobia would kick in would be press conferences, essentially situations where I couldn't get up and walk out. I know technically, I could, but I think you know what I mean. I never had an episode, but I would get very nervous. I asked a fellow reporter who almost always sat next to me and he said he had no idea, so that was good.

The second the press conferences were done, I was fine. The claustrophobia would kick in every once in awhile, but press conferences were where I would be impacted the most.

I asked my doctor about it and he gave me a very mild dose of Alprazolam. It's generic Xanax, but I've taken Xanax and it knocks me on my ass. Alprazolam, just gives me this mellow feeling, that's really pretty amazing.

I'd take it 30 minutes before press conferences and I was great.

 

[Ace]

I would get these symptoms when paying the bills. Especially when there wasn't enough money to pay all the bills.

Eventually, I told myself, the hell with it. It's just money.

Been working pretty well. I could probably run for Congress now, I care so little about debt.

 

[gingerbread]

Interesting parallel to some of the things Mets reliever Taylor Buchholz is experiencing:


Buchholz then proceeded to explain to Svetich what was going on, the pangs of anxiety, the heart palpitations, the nervous twitches, and wild muscle spasms he was experiencing. It was just Buchholz and Svetich speaking to each other alone in an empty dugout, hours before game time, when Buchholz was struck again …

“I literally broke down right then and let him know everything,” Taylor recalled. “It was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life. I’m there crying to another man. But Svetich recognized there was a problem. He was fantastic and someone that helped me get through this. At that point, I didn’t want anything to come out, because I was totally embarrassed about it. I’m a man’s man who’s supposed to be tough and not breaking down into tears for no reason. I didn’t feel like a man, I’ve been the one that’s been the rock in my relationships.”
http://springfield-pa.patch.com/articles/dealing-with-depression-on-a-major-league-level